Cherokee County, NC
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Cherokee County has experienced 16 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Cherokee County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, wildfire, and earthquake, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Cherokee County has been designated in 16 declarations since 1974, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (5), snowstorm (3), tropical storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Helene |
| 2024 | Tropical Storm | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ian |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaias |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Dorian |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Florence |
Showing the 10 most recent of 16 total declarations since 1974.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 81.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 67.9 | 5 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 73.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 6.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 68.1 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 58.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 44.6 | 6 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 48.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 28.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 65.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 59.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 62.4 | 1 | 0 | $10K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 36.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 97.1 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Cherokee County ranks in the 37th percentile (Low) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 37th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 72nd | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 25th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 29th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 13th | Very low |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 84th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 81st | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 93.0% | — |
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Cherokee County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Cherokee County, North Carolina are landslide, wildfire, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Cherokee County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Cherokee County has received 16 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (5 declarations).
Has Cherokee County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Cherokee County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Helene (2024), Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does Cherokee County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Monroe County, TN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Graham County, NC has the lowest (Very Low). Cherokee County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Cherokee County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Cherokee County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Cherokee County's composite score of 57 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 57% of US counties.